As use of and demand for consumer communication devices increases, advancements in size, performance and functionality are constantly being developed and improved. For example, many consumer devices such as cellular phones and the like employ a smartcard to securely store a key identifying a mobile phone service subscriber, as well as subscription information, preferences, text messages, phone book information, etc. Since cell phones operate differently depending upon the underlying technology, different types of smartcards have been developed to interact with the host cell phone.
For instance, Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) networks can employ a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, while Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) networks, which utilize Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), can employ a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) smartcard. Generally, every smartcard is uniquely identified by its ICCID (International Circuit Card ID) and smartcard users can be identified by storing an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity). Both SIM and USIM cards can also store network state information such as the current location area identity (LAI). Thus, when the handset is powered up, the device can take data from the smartcard and search for the LAI that was last used. This saves time by avoiding a search of the whole list of frequencies that the telephone would normally use.
Additionally, advances have led to a smartcard that works with both GSM and UMTS networks such as a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC). As with the SIM and the USIM smartcards, the UICC smartcard can ensure the integrity and security of all kinds of personal data, and it typically holds a few hundred kilobytes. In a GSM network, the UICC can call a SIM application and in a UMTS network a corresponding USIM application. Hence, a UICC may contain several applications, making it possible for the same smartcard to give access to both GSM and UMTS networks as described above, and provide for various other applications such as storage of a phone book, etc.
Moreover, in recent years with the advent of the high-density smartcard, the storage capacity has increased dramatically. Today, a typical high-density UICC smart card can house 64 megabytes or more of data, and future cards with greater storage capacity are imminent, thus, further increasing the services and/or applications available for a single smartcard. Generally, a UICC smartcard consists of a CPU, ROM, RAM, EEPROM and I/O circuits. Early versions consisted of the full-size (85×54 mm) smartcard. However, the demand for smaller telephones called for a smaller version of the card, so the card was cropped down to 25×15 mm.
To be of use in the commercial market, smartcards (e.g., UICC) must conform to an accepted fast protocol such that they can communicate with the host device. Two of the most commonly accepted protocols are MultiMediaCard (MMC) and Secure Digital (SD). MMC is an open standard protocol designed for low cost data storage and communication between a host device and an MMC card and/or a smartcard such as those described supra that conforms to the MMC (or SD) standard. The host device can be virtually any device such as a cellular phone, a digital camera, organizers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), digital recorders, MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) players, pagers, electronic toys and games, scanner/readers, etc.
SD is a proprietary standard that has replaced MMC for many popular applications. However, SD is backward compatible with MMC in protocol, topology, and media interface, so an MMC card/chip will generally fit an SD slot and communication between the device and the memory card will be seamless. Both standards target mobile devices with high performance at a low cost, and include features such as low power consumption and high data throughput at the memory card interface.
In a related technological field, many commercial devices employ Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), also known as “contactless” communication. Contactless transactions depend upon an automatic identification/communication method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is an object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product (etc.) for the purpose of identification using radio waves. Chip-based RFID tags contain silicon chips and antennas. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas active and semi-passive tags require a power source.
The purpose of an RFID/contactless system is to enable data to be transmitted by a mobile device, called a tag, which is read by an RFID reader and processed according to the needs of a particular application. The data transmitted by the tag may provide identification or location information, or specifics about the product tagged, such as price, color, date of purchase, etc. The use of RFID in tracking and access applications are gaining widespread use. Among the many uses of contactless communication are security gates at the exits of retail stores, libraries and the like, product tracking, quick and convenient transport payment such as for toll roads, subways, etc. access to secure areas and or automobiles, as well as contactless smartcards.
Oftentimes, the data to be communicated during contactless transactions are private identification and account information that is similar or identical to the private information securely stored in smartcards, such as a UICC. However, because conventional smartcards in standard consumer devices are interfaced with a controller that does not provide for contactless transactions, these standard consumer devices cannot make use of their full potential.